Producer gas generator



W 0 B S m PRODUCER GAS GENERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2-1, 1944 IN V EN TOR. DOUGLAS 500272" BOW ATTORNEYS Swim 6 WW D. s. BOW 9 3 PRODUCER GAS GENERATOR Filed. on. 21, 1944 2 sheat s-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. 53 5a DOUGLAS SCOTT BOW a. a Ww m ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 6, 1949 2,481,287 7 PRODUCER GAS GENERATOR Douglas Scott Bow, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Application October 21, 1944, Serial No. 559,860

In Canada October 22, 1943 This invention relates to improvements in producer gas generators, particularly the type designed for installation on a motor vehicle. The objects of the invention are to produce a generator of simplified design which may be readily started and maintained in operation with better efficiency than has been heretofore possible.

In this construction the generator includes a combustion chamber having spaced sets of air tuyres with improved controlling means, curved grates placed in special relation to the tuyeres, and a gas chamber, all constructed and arranged as shown in the accompanying specification and drwings. When mounted on the vehicle the generator is employed in association with a cooler, filter, mixing valve and fan mechanism, which will enable the operation to be started and maintained through appropriate control and regulation, all as hereinafter described.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section through the form of generator when there are from one to four nozzles.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-'3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section through the form of generator when there are five or more nozzles.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the same.

Figure 6 is a section on the line B-6 of Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view of all the apparatus when installed on a vehicle.

Figure 8 is an elevation of the gas cooler,'partly in section.

Figure 9 is a vertical section through the filter.

Figure 10 is a section on the line Ill-l0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the air mixing valve.

Figure 12 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the fan valve.

Referring to the drawings and first to the diagrammatic view in Figure '7, A indicates the generator from which the pipe l0 leads to the cooler B, connected by the pipe I l with a filter C, connected by a pipe 12 with the mixing valve D, from which a pipe l3 leads to the f an'control valve E, from which a pipe 14 leads to the fan F operated from the motor G, the fan having a suitable exhaust pipe l5. The fan control valve E has also a connecting pipe l6 leadin to the exhaust manifold H of the engine.

In the form of generator shown in Figures 1 to 3, l1 indicates the combustion chamber, the upper portion l8 of which constitutes a hopper for the 3 Claims. (Cl. 48--118.5)

fuel, being provided at the top'with a removable cover id of suitable design which, when removed, will permit the fuel to be supplied to the hopper and generating chamber.

The lower part of the generating chamber constitutes a fire-pot 28 having at one side an inclined and curved grate 2|, which is placed opposite a series of tuyeres 22. These tuyeres or nozzles 22 may be conveniently formed of cast iron and set in the wall of the combustion chamber, the nozzle bore being carefully designed to suit the grate area and the depth of'fuel bed for which the generator is designed. The tuyeres or nozzles 22 are set in the wall of the combustion chamber opposite and above the grates so that the draft through the fuel is diagonally downward. I have discovered that the shorter the fuel bed the smaller must the, fuel be ground so that a more solid bed of fuel lie on the grate. The inclined arrangement of the grates having the nozzles set in a plane above permits the volatiles in the fuel being changed to fixed gases on their path downward through the incandescent fuel bedin the grates. The nozzle bore or air discharge opening of each of the tuyeres may be from to 2 diameter depending on the gas consumption of the unit on which the'producer is installed and is fixed by the gas consumption required for idling so that 1800 degrees Fah. is maintained at the nozzles and 2800 degrees Fah. is maintained under full load conditions. I I

The diameter required for any given engine is decided during test and can be increased by drilling while the unit is in operation. The nozzles are air cooled.

The inclined arrangement of the grate, which is shown in the drawings as being inclined upwardly at an average angle of about 45 to the horizontal from its lower edge to its uppermost portion and as having a correspondingly inclined and extending surface portion facing the discharge openings of the tuyeres, permits a sub stantial fuel area to be provided while the curvature on the grate enables constant distance to be maintained between the. tuyeres and the grate arear The fuel should be chosen to correspond with the depth of fuel which is maintained on the grate and should not be over /8" with firesle'ft in. These sizes are governed to some extent by the quality of the fuel and may vary slightly from a good hard charcoal to a soft friable one.

The grate area is carefully designed in order to slow up'the gas passing therethrough so that the fuel will not be carried through the grate, and

flowing mass extends from the nozzles tathe conical grate. The actual reaction zone being some 3 to 3%. inches deep. This should take place in from sixty to ninety seconds.

It will be observed that the fire chamber is of the down-draft type, the air path through the fuel being generally downwardly. The oxygen which is contained in the air drawn into the fire zone through-the tuyeres 22 enters immediately into chemical combination with that portion of the fuel situated close to the nozzles and converts it to carbon dioxide, an inert and non-combustible gas. As this gas passes on through the in candescent bed of fuel towards the grate, the carbon dioxide is converted to carbon monoxide, which is the main constituent of the gas generated. Hydrogen is also present because of the hygroscopic character of the charcoal and of the presence of the moisture in the entering air. Generally speaking, the gas will contain about thirty per cent of carbon monoxide and about four per cent of hydrogen. Small percentages of methane and other hydrocarbon gases are also present.

Since the atmospheric air drawn into the generator contains almost eighty percent nitrogen by volume, which takes no part in the chemical reactions, the gas finally generated will contain about fifty percent of nitrogen. This nitrogen acts merely as a diluent and has no power value.

The temperature at which the reaction takes place should be from 1800 degrees F. to 2800 degrees F. the gas leaving the generator having a temperature of from 1300 to 1600 degrees F. which temperature must be reduced as close as possible to atmospheric temperature before being used in the engine. The gas leaves the generator at a relatively high speed, heavy ash being taken out in the chamber 29, and contains some impurities which are carried in suspension. As the gas enters the cooler B it is slowed down and cooled, certain of the heavier particles settling out of the same. Further reduction takes place in temperature as the gas passes through the filter C.

On leaving the filter the gas is mixed with air before entering the engine manifold by means of the air mixing valve D, which will be found to require little adjustment after havin been once set correctly when the engine and generator have attained working heat. A mixture of producer gas and air in the best proportions to give maximum power when water vapor or steam is added to the fire, may contain as high as 75% of the heat units of an air gasoline mixture, consequently the power developed on producer gas seldom attains this figure, and ranges nearer fifty-five to sixty-two percent of the power developed on gasoline fuel. The power output of an engine using producer gas can be greatly increased by increasing the compression ratio to 8.25 to 1, this being the most useful compression ratio for producer gas, increasing the power some twenty-five to forty-five per cent. The spark should be advanced about 8 degrees when using producer gas. Producer gas will not detonate with compressions as high as 16 to 1.

It will be observed that the generator employs a plurality of separated nozzles, each of which will maintain separate reaction zones. The grate being curved, there will be a constant distance from each of these nozzles to the grate surface. It will be found possible, if desired, to use nozzles formed of cast iron, in which the fire or reaction zones are kept relatively small and are surrounded by thecooler fuel. Asmany names as desired may be used in'the generator, the size of the opening being calculated to produce the horsepower required. r 1

In the alternative form of the invention shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 the generator A is provided with a conical grate 60 supported on cross bars 6| and 62in the lower section 63 of the generator, which constitutes a gas. chamber and settling box, being provided at one side with a door 64 from which the settled material may be removed. Above this chamber is the fire box 65, having an upper hopper section 66 bolted thereto.

The tuyres or nozzles 66' are uniformly spaced around the section 65 and are surrounded on the outside by an air chamber 61 having a screened air inlet 68 and having a plurality of openings 60 opposite the tuyeres which may beclosed by. a circular controlling member 10 mounted on the exterior of the air chamber with freedom to be turned. on its axis in either direction. The screens II are provided for the openings 68 and may be. adjustably held in position by thumb nuts and bolts 12 mounted on the outside of the air chamber 61.

The conical grate 60, disposed as shown in the drawings, provides asshown a grate surface portion inclined upwardly at an average angle of about 45 to the horizontal from the lower edge to the uppermost portion of the grate and facing thedischarge openings of the tuyeres, the surface portion being curved on a radius which is substantially equal to the distance from the discharge openings of the tuyres 66', so that the operation may be maintained as described with regard to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Various modifications may be made in this invention Without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims, and, therefore, the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are disclosed in the prior art or are set forth in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A gas producer comprising a generator chamber having a vertical side wall, an air inlet tuyere mounted in said wall and having a discharge opening adjacent said wall within said chamber, and an inclined curved grate disposed in said chamber lower than said tuyre, said grate being inclined upwardly from a lower edge thereof at an angle of about 45 to the horizontal, thereby permitting a substantial fuel area to be provided, said grate being so curved that the cross section thereof in a vertical plane passing through said discharge opening and perpendicular to said grate is substantially in the form of an arc of a circle whose center is at said discharge opening, thereby providing for the maintenance of a diagonally downward path of substantially constant distance between the discharge opening and. grate area.

2. A gas producer comprising a generator chamber having a vertical side wall, a row of air inlet tuyres mounted in a straight line in a horizontal plane in said wall, said tuyeres having respective discharge openings therein adjacent said wall within said chamber and spaced to produce an exothermic reaction zone of substantial lateral extent, an inclined curved grate in said chamber and lower than said row of tuyeres, and an outlet for product gases below said grate, said grate being inclined upwardly from a lower edge Siamese thereof at:amangle oi ahoutvlfifi tmthevhorizontali tfiereby permittingi, insubstantial? fueliareaa tmbe provided; said-:grate heingzsocurvedithattthecross section thereof in a vertical plane passingithrough any; one--f said discharge; upenings and perpendicularl-to thesuria-eeoigsaid grateiissnbstantially ins-the form: of: am are. oil 2.1011Cl8a whose center istat-zsaideoneoflsaidfdlscharge-openings;thereby providing: for the. maintenance: of? a: diagomdly downward path between. thmdischargeionenings and=gratenarea.

3am gasi producer; comprising; a: generator chamber; having a: side wazln in: thee form: oi: a vteitticalzcylinder; asrowzofispaced 'airzinletituyres mounted; in: arhorizontaliplaneeim saidrvsail; said:

tuyeresahaving respectiveadischarge :openingsua'dejacentil said: wall within. saidi chamber;- a; grate havingran; inclined: upper: surface; portion; imsaid chamber: lower: than: said; IQWsOft11y-IBS\ and facing the latter; sa-id grateubeing so shapedthat a cross section thereof im at horizontali plane: is substantially circular, andtana outlelzfori product,

,gasesabelovw saidi-grate; saidsunfaceaportionztheme of extending: inclined? upwardly: from: the; lower edge of said grate to the uppermost p0llfii0mthEIfi+- ofatt an average :anglea of aboutrlfii' tnztheehorizontal; thereby: permitting; a substantial iuetama to be: provided; said suriacee pontiom being; so curved axthatxtheintersectiom thereofi withaa; Vfifib tlcal: plane perpendicular:- to? saidi SUIZfQOGIJ'DOIE- tion' and: passingthrough -v any; one: of: said: dise 8 charge openings-tie substantiallycim the; iprmaaj an area-of: a circle: whosecenterlls atzsaidionmof said dischargempenings thereby: DIOYidmg JfOE the maintenanoes-of atdiaeonallyadownward:path of substantially: constant: distance; between said discharge-r openin'gszandusaim grater.

DQUGDASz-SGQTfIhBQW;

REEERENGE$ GITJJD:

The following references'areof record" in the file of thispatent:

UNImEDl saz-AzrEe BAa'ENms Number Name- Date- 15 680g827 Westinghouse- Aug-: 1901- 13004 588 Pettibone- 0'ct 3} 1911 1'-,394;38'I Wllson- Get: 18, 1921 11716;084 Percy JuneAi- 1929 2, O75,-48'5 Turner Mar; 30, 198? 20 $263,370 Von-Ta-vel Now 1 8519451 2,278,798 Riceardi Apr; 7;194-2 2;31 3;147' Fleei- Jan. 14% 194 7 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country. Date:

430% Amstralia= Aug;: 25; 1932 33,718 Germany Nov; 1885 1105983 Australia July- '3; 1840: 379546 Italy: Man-29; 194.0. 746.0 19 Franee Feb: 1933 

